Category: APO-OPA

GENEVA, Switzerland, April 7, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The World Health Organization (WHO) will hold a virtual press conference (VPC) on 8 April 2014 to give an update on the Ebola Virus Disease outbreak in West Africa.

Currently, both Guinea and Liberia are reporting on-going outbreaks of the disease (linked to the same index case from Guinea) and there are rumours of cases from Mali.

WHO currently has over 60 of its own and partner staff on the ground to manage and control the outbreak. It is coordinating with a range of operational and financial partners to ensure the full range of interventions to bring this event under control are taken in a swift and efficient manner.

The Virtual Press Conference is intended to give an update on the situation and the efforts by the affected countries, WHO and their partners to manage the event.

WHAT: WHO virtual press conference on Ebola Virus Disease outbreak in West Africa

WHO: Dr Keiji Fukuda , Assistant Director-General, Health Security and Environment cluster, WHO

Dr Stella Chungong, Coordinator, Department of Global Preparedness, Surveillance and Response, WHO

Dr Pierre Formenty, Scientist, Control of Epidemic Diseases, WHO

Dr Stéphane Hugonnet, Medical officer, Department of Global Preparedness, Surveillance and Response, WHO, who returned from southeast

Guinea this weekend

WHEN: 14:00 GMT (16:00 Geneva time), Tuesday 8 April 2014

WHERE: Palais journalists who wish to attend the VPC in person can come to the India Room at WHO HQ

HOW: For call-in telephone numbers, please see below.

For more information:

Gregory Härtl, Mobile: +41 79 203 6715; Tel: +41 22 791 4458; Email: hartlg@who.int

Fadela Chaib, Mobile: +41 79 475 5556, Tel.: +41 22 791 3228, Email: chaibf@who.int

How to access the WHO Virtual Press Conference

Journalists in Geneva can attend in person the press conference, the venue is the Library room at WHO Headquarters.

Please try to call in 10 minutes before the conference begins in order to be registered correctly. From the list below, please use the number closest to you. If you have problems with a number, try the toll number from a neighbouring country or call Switzerland: +41 22 580 9022.

On connecting, type PIN code: 300850# on your telephone keypad and then record your name and media outlet and then press again the # key.

To ask a question during the question and answer session, registered participants should type 01 on their telephone keypad, this will place you in the queue to ask questions.

International access numbers

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VATICAN, Holy See, April 7, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Today, in the Vatican Apostolic Palace, the Holy Father Francis received in audience Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, president of the Republic of Liberia, who subsequently went on to meet wi…

VATICAN, Holy See, April 7, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — “The Church in Africa, from Vatican Council II to the Third Millennium. Africa’s Homage to Popes John XXIII and John Paul II” is the title of the Congress that will take place at the Pontifical Urbaniana University of Rome from 24 to 25 April and which will be attended by bishops, priests, theologians, scholars and eminent figures in African culture to appraise the implementation of Vatican Council II in the continent.

This initiative was presented in the Holy See Press Office this morning by Bishop Barthelemy Adoukonou, secretary of the Pontifical Council for Culture; Archbishop Emergy Kabongo Kanundowi, emeritus of Luebo, Democratic Republic of the Congo; Msgr. Melchor Sanchez de Toca y Alameda, under secretary of the Pontifical Council for Culture, and Professor Martin Nkafu, lecturer at the Pontifical Lateran University.

“Vatican Council II, an event of grace for the entire Universal Church, allowed the People of God in Africa to undertake an important turning point in their historical journey. In effect, the Church in Africa wants to become a protagonist in the construction of a cultural identity for the Continent, in a particular way through the Forum of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM), ‘Faith, Culture and Development’. Fifty years on from the Council, she takes advantage of the canonisation of Popes John XXIII and John Paul II to take stock of the implementation of the Council in the African Continent, reading the signs of the times and taking the necessary initiatives to build her future in line with the Magisterium of the Popes Paul VI, John Paul I, Benedict XVI and Francis”.

The congress will open on 24 with the screening of a video on Popes John XXIII, Paul VI and John Paul II and the first session will take place, presided by Cardinal Robert Sarah, president of the Pontifical Council “Cor Unum”, on “Africa and Vatican Council II: an historic perspective”. The introductory presentation will be “Vatican Council II and its implementation in the African Church”. This session will conclude with “Echoes of the work of the Association of African Theologians on Vatican Council II”.

The theme of the second session, to be held in the afternoon and to be presided by Cardinal John Onaiyekan, metropolitan archbishop of Abuja, Nigeria, will be “John XXIII, John Paul II and the Church in Africa”. The issues under consideration will be: “John XXIII, the Council and the evolution of post-conciliar Africa”, “What have we made of the legacy of Popes John XXIII, Paul VI and John Paul II?”, and “The legacy of John Paul II”.

On 25 April, the third session will focus on “The Church in Africa 50 years after Vatican Council II: challenges”. Cardinal Laurent Monsengwo Pasinya, metropolitan archbishop of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, will preside, and the following issues will be discussed: “The dynamic structure of the two Synods for Africa”, “Prominent Christian figures in the African intelligentsia (Julius Nyerere, etc.) and the political commitment of the lay faithful”, “The place and role of the woman in the Church and in society”, and “Consecrated life in the mission of the Church in Africa today”.

In the afternoon, and presided by Bishop Louis Portella Mbuyu of Kinkala (Republic of Congo) the fourth and final session will take place, dedicated to “History and activity of the forum ‘Faith, Culture and Development’”, “The ecclesial subject and historic initiative in Africa today”, and “The Forum ‘Faith, Culture and Development’: reflection and debate”. The Congress will conclude with a solemn Mass celebrated by Cardinal Francis Arinze, prefect emeritus of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.

VATICAN, Holy See, April 7, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — This morning Pope Francis received in audience the bishops of the Tanzania Episcopal Conference, at the end of their five-yearly “ad limina” visit and, in the written address that he handed to them, he praises “the impressive history of missionary work throughout the region”, encouraging the prelates to “maintain and foster this missionary imperative, so that the Gospel may increasingly permeate every work of the apostolate and shed its light on all areas of Tanzanian society”.

“The work of evangelisation in Tanzania, then, is not merely a remarkable event of the past”, he writes; “no, it happens every day in the Church’s pastoral work in parishes, in the liturgy, in the reception of the sacraments, the educational apostolate, health care initiatives, catechesis, and in the lives of ordinary Christians”. The Pope mentions in particular the witness of healthcare workers who “care for those suffering from HIV/AIDS, and by all who strive diligently to educate people in the area of sexual responsibility and chastity”, and “all those who devote themselves to the integral development of the poor, and in particular, of destitute women and children”. He exclaims, “May the Holy Spirit who gave strength, wisdom and holiness to the first missionaries in Tanzania continue to inspire the entire local Church in this vital witness”.

He also repeats the importance of “holy, well-educated and zealous priests” and of ensuring they “receive an adequate human, spiritual, intellectual and pastoral formation”. With reference to the role of the laity, he asks that bishops make special efforts to “provide catechists with a comprehensive understanding of the Church’s doctrine. This will equip them not only to counter the challenges of superstition, aggressive sects and secularism, but even more importantly,to share the beauty and richness of the Catholic faith with others, particularly the young”.

With regard to the theme of the family, Pope Francis affirms that “The gift that healthy families represent is felt with particular vitality in Africa” and recalls that “the Church’s love for, and pastoral solicitude towards the family is at the heart of the new evangelisation. … By promoting prayer, marital fidelity, monogamy, purity and humble service to one another within families, the Church continues to make an invaluable contribution to the social welfare of Tanzania, one which, coupled with her educational and healthcare apostolates, will surely foster greater stability and progress in your country. There is scarcely a finer service which the Church can offer than to give witness to our conviction of the sanctity of God’s gift of life and to the essential role played by spiritual and stable families in preparing the younger generations to live virtuous lives and to face the challenges of the future with wisdom, courage and generosity”.

He concludes, “I am particularly encouraged to know that Tanzania is committed to ensuring the freedom that followers of various religions enjoy to practice their faith. The ongoing protection and promotion of this fundamental human right strengthens society by enabling believers, in fidelity to the dictates of their conscience and in respect for the dignity and rights of all, to advance social unity, peace and the common good. I am grateful for your ongoing efforts to promote forgiveness, peace and dialogue as you shepherd your people in difficult situations of intolerance and, at times, of violence and persecution. … I urge you also to work with government and civic institutions in this area so as to ensure that the rule of law prevails as an indispensable means for guaranteeing just and pacific social relations. I pray that your example, and that of the entire Church in your country, will continue to inspire all people of good will who long for peace”.

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, April 7, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — INVITATION TO THE MEDIA

When: 14 – 17 April 2014

Where: Luanda, Republic of Angola

Who: African Union Commission (AUC) and the World Health Organisation (WHO).

OBJECTIVES : The key objective of the meeting is to provide an important forum for Member States, UN Agencies, Development Partners and other Stakeholders to discuss, among other the followings;

i. Universal Health Coverage in Africa: from concept to action;

ii. African Medicines Agency: setting milestones to establish a centralized regulatory system for medical products;

iii. Non-communicable diseases in Africa: policies and strategies to address risk factors;

iv. Prevention of maternal and child mortality: review of the plan of action;

v. Establishment of an African Centre for Disease Control and Prevention;

vi. Accountability mechanisms to assess the implementation of declarations and other commitments made by African Ministers of Health.

Participants: African Ministers in charge of health, development actors, private sector, NGOs and UN agencies will attend the meeting

Background:

Throughout their many years of partnership, the African Union Commission (AUC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have continuously explored ways to reinforce their collaboration and with the aim of obtaining better growth and development out comes for populations across Africa.

Guided by their respective legal and political instruments, and in the scope of their collaboration agreement, the two institutions decided to jointly organize biannual meetings of African Ministers of Health. These meetings should create opportunities for deliberation and decision-making on the critical health issues that affect populations in African countries, and on which political and public health authorities are requested to intervene in a strategic and efficient manner.

The need and desire by African countries was reinforced at the 6th Ordinary Session of the African Union Conference of Ministers of Health held in Addis Ababa in April 2013 and was also reiterated by the 22nd Ordinary Session of the African Union Heads of State and Government Summit held in Addis Ababa January 2014.

ABUJA, Nigeria, April 7, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The African Union (AU), the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of Nigeria, have on 3rd April…

MOGADISHU, Somalia, April 7, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Somalia, Nicholas Kay, condemned the murder today of two UN consultants working for the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

The two international consultants were in Galkayo to support UNODC efforts in the region when they were shot by unknown gunmen at Galkayo Airport, Puntland, Somalia.

“I condemn the brutal murders. Our UN colleagues were working in support of the Somali people’s aspiration for a peaceful and stable future. There can be no justification for such a callous attack. I call on the authorities to conduct a full investigation immediately and bring the perpetrators to justice without delay. I offer my sincere condolences to the families and friends of the victims. The United Nations in Somalia remains committed to continuing our vital support to the Somali people as they emerge from decades of conflict” said SRSG Kay.

DAKAR, Sénégal, April 7, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — APO (African Press Organization) (http://www.apo-opa.com), the sole press release wire in Africa, and the global leader in media relations related to Africa, announces today that it has become an authorized agency client in Africa for NASDAQ OMX’s (http://www.nasdaqomx.com) GlobeNewswire (http://www.globenewswire.com), one of the world’s largest financial newswire distribution networks, specializing in the delivery of corporate press releases, financial disclosures and multimedia content to the media, investment community, individual investors and the general public.

Photo of APO logo on the NASDAQ tower in Times Square (New York): http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/index.php?level=picture&id=963 (APO’s logo and abstract of the press release announcing the agreement has been showcased on the NASDAQ tower at the Times Square in New York City)

Photo: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/index.php?level=picture&id=782 (Nicolas Pompigne-Mognard, founder and CEO of APO (African Press Organization)

Logo APO: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/plog-content/images/apo/logos/apo-african-press-organization-small.png

“We are excited about offering GlobeNewswire’s services to APO clients,” said APO Founder and CEO, Nicolas Pompigne-Mognard. “This is indeed timely due to our revamped brand image. It is a fact that more and more African companies are getting international recognition, and we are proud to support their expansive growth by providing new, industry-leading distribution services via GlobeNewswire.”

Through GlobeNewswire, APO will offer its clients comprehensive press release distribution options which include:

• Press Release Distribution via the Associated Press: A wide variety of national, regional, state, and city distribution circuits are available through GlobeNewswire. All U.S. distribution circuits reach the editorial newsrooms of mainstream media such as national and regional newspapers, broadcast and online media.

• Thousands of Online Reach: Through direct relationships with online media and hundreds of RSS feeds, press releases reach and can be posted on thousands of websites such as Yahoo!, Wall Street Journal Online, Morningstar.com, MSN Money, Reuters.com, New York Times, CNBC.com, etc.

• Complimentary Distribution to Industry Trades: Over 300+ industry trades distribution are available with the purchase of press release distribution service.

• Timely Disclosure of Regulatory Press Release: Simultaneous distribution to media outlets, financial desktops/data terminals and professional databases such as Thomson Reuters, Bloomberg, and Dow Jones.

• Global Press Release Distribution: With strong affiliation with reputable international distribution partners, GlobeNewswire operates a global distribution network which offers a wide variety of distribution circuits to reach global financial and trade media outlets and investment communities efficiently.

• Logo Placement via Times Square Tower: Client’s company logo and abstract of press release can be showcased on the NASDAQ tower at the Times Square in New York City.

• Photo Distribution via Associated Press: Through AP satellite technology, photos are delivered directly to photo editors in over 1,500 newsrooms in the U.S. with advanced searching capabilities that allow editors to find photos that closely match their needs.

APO manages Africa Wire®, the service for press release wire distribution and monitoring in Africa, reaching over 50,000 media contacts, bloggers, social networks, and redistributing content to over 50 African websites, Bloomberg Terminal, Thomson Reuters, Lexis Nexis, Dow Jones Factiva, and more.

Utilized by some of the world’s largest companies, communications agencies, institutions and organizations, Africa Wire® guarantees the most extensive reach to Africa, acting as the conduit for APO’s clients’ targeted audience in all parts of the continent and the world.

More information about Africa Wire®, the service for press release wire distribution in Africa: http://www.apo-opa.com/services.php

Contact:

Aïssatou Diallo

bdm@apo-opa.org

+41 22 534 96 97

About APO

APO (African Press Organization) (http://www.apo-opa.com) is the sole press release wire in Africa, and the global leader in media relations related to Africa. With offices in Senegal, Switzerland, India, and Seychelles, APO owns a media database of over 50,000 contacts and the main online community for Africa-related news. It offers a complete range of services including press release distribution and monitoring, online press conferences, interactive webcasts, media interactions, strategic advice, public diplomacy, government relations, and events promotion. To find out more please visit, http://www.apo-opa.com

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ROME, Italy, April 7, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The unprecedented crisis in the Central African Republic is devastating the economy and people’s ability to secure basic necessities, two United Nations food agencies said in an assessmen…

NEW YORK, April 7, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President U. Joy Ogwu (Nigeria):

The members of the Security Council were briefed on 3 April 2014 by Jeffrey Feltman, Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, on the situation in Guinea-Bissau.

The members of the Security Council welcomed the successful conclusion of the voter registration process in Guinea-Bissau and acknowledged that funding and preparations for the upcoming presidential and legislative elections on 13 April 2014 were well on track, thanks to the contributions of ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States) member States, the ECOWAS Commission, Nigeria, Timor-Leste and donors to the UNDP (United Nations Development Programme) Basket Fund, in particular the European Union.

The members of the Security Council expressed support for UNIOGBIS’s (United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding Office in Guinea-Bissau) activities and the leadership of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, José Ramos-Horta, and commended his role in facilitating the electoral process.

The members of the Security Council condemned the episodes of political violence and intimidation in Guinea-Bissau, in particular the kidnap and assault of a member of the Party for Social Renewal (PRS). They urged all national stakeholders to facilitate the conduct of peaceful and credible elections, and to respect the election results as an expression of the will of the people of Guinea-Bissau in line with the country’s agreed electoral code. They also called upon them to refrain from any action that could hamper the electoral process and to live up to their responsibilities in the interest of lasting peace and development in Guinea-Bissau.

The members of the Security Council renewed their call upon all security services to respect the constitutional order, including the electoral process, and to submit themselves fully to civilian control. The members of the Security Council urged all elements of Guinea-Bissau’s political and military leaders to refrain from attempts to interfere with or influence the electoral process, and to refrain from violence or intimidation of candidates. The members of the Security Council recalled their readiness to consider further measures, as necessary, including targeted sanctions against both civilian and military individuals who undermine efforts to restore constitutional order.

The members of the Security Council renewed their call on all stakeholders to abide by the law and international norms throughout the election and transition periods and noted that such conduct will go far towards helping restore Guinea-Bissau’s public and international image, and lifting international restrictions on assistance and cooperation.